


When Competitors Turn Out To Be Cute

by PresidentDragon



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, I know coffee shop AUs are overdone but this is my first so whatever, M/M, Multi, canon typical cursing, coffee shop AU, i'll add tags as i go, literally just me having fun, some slight angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 16:22:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13767912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PresidentDragon/pseuds/PresidentDragon
Summary: “Look,” the girl with brown hair says, “I’m not saying The Twins makes bad coffee, it’s just not their specialty, ya know? Like, they make a mean profiterole, but if I just want a mocha I’d rather hit up Queen’s Cafe across the street.”The blonde girl nods emphatically. “And the guy who runs the place? Talk about a hot mocha.”~ In which I write a rather self-indulgent coffeeshop AU and Lup is the begrudging voice of reason





	When Competitors Turn Out To Be Cute

Having good hearing can be both a blessing and a curse. On the one end, Taako knows the secrets of almost every customer he’s ever had in The Twins Coffeehouse. (Not that he ever uses this information maliciously) Lup handles more of the behind-the-scenes part of business, despite being the better people-person of the two. She helps out around the place, sure, but mostly it’s Taako standing behind the counter, taking orders, making coffee, and listening.

 

Which leads him to the downside of having excellent hearing. Sometimes he hears something he’d rather not. His long ears swivel slightly towards a pair of teenage human girls when he hears the name of his business.

 

“Look,” the girl with brown hair says, “I’m not saying The Twins makes bad coffee, it’s just not their specialty, ya know? Like, they make a mean profiterole, but if I just want a mocha I’d rather hit up Queen’s Cafe across the street.”

 

The blonde girl nods emphatically. “And the guy who runs the place? Talk about a  _ hot mocha _ .” The two fall into a fit of giggles.

 

Taako turns his head away from the girls, actively ignoring the rest of their conversation. Seriously, what kind of asshole brings up another business when they’re already  _ eating at the best place in town _ .

 

“I shoulda kicked ‘em out,” Taako growls a few hours later. Lup is sitting on their couch petting Angus’s hair while he does homework.

 

“Uh huh, sure, then we’d be down two more regs,” Lup sighs. “We can’t afford that, Ko.”

 

Taako finally takes a break from his pacing to sit next to Lup with a huff. “Let’s just light the place up. Fucker’s got it comin’, setting up shop literally  _ across the street _ .”

 

“You  _ know _ I’m always down for some light arson, but we got Ango here now.” Lup grabs Angus’s shoulders and pulls him closer, as if trying to keep someone from taking him from her.

 

Angus looks up at Taako through his big, round glasses. “I would much rather  _ not _ have to find a new home, sir.”

 

Taako heaves a resigned sigh, then reaches out to rustle Angus’s curls. “No worries, little man, anyone who tries to take my boy gets a face fulla magic missile.”

 

A massive smile cracks across Angus’s face as he pulls the twins into a hug then turns back to his homework. Lup arches her back in a yawn and curls up with her head in Taako’s lap.

 

“We’ll be fine,” she whispers. “We always are.”

 

~*~

 

But this time, Taako didn’t just want to be  _ fine _ . He was sick of him and Lup getting the short end of the stick, of having to work twice as hard just to get by. This shop was supposed to be a new beginning for them, a chance to build a stable future. When Angus showed up on their doorstep a few months ago, cold and alone, it turned into something more. It was their promise to keep this kid from going through the same shit they did. And now some douchebag was threatening to take it all away from them.

 

Lup runs the coffeehouse every few days to give Taako a break, and today is one of those free days. He usually spends them trying out new recipes or, on weekends, hanging out with Angus. Today, though, Angus is in school and Taako has other plans.

 

From the stairs that connect their apartment to the shop, he spots another one of their regulars who only shows up on the days Lup works. He always sits at the same spot at the end of the counter, out of the way of the other customers and within chatting distance of Lup, who is placing a breakfast croissant and black coffee in front of him when Taako emerges.

 

Taako smiles at him. “Hey Barold, how’s it hangin'?”

 

“Same old same old. I was just telling Lup how they’ve got me teaching 4 classes this semester, which means my research is getting pushed to the side. Again.” Barry sighs heavily, then takes a sip of his coffee.

 

Taako snorts. “Sounds like hell, my dude. Catch you lovebirds on the flipside,” he says, finger gunning his way towards the door.

 

“And where’re you going, oh dearest brother of mine?” Lup’s glare catches Taako, giving him no chance to dodge the question. Her eyes hold a dangerous warning.

 

“Pshh, relax Lulu. Just doin’ some recon, nothing bad.” To be fair, it was just supposed to be recon.

**Author's Note:**

> I know this chapter was kinda short, I mostly wanted to get the basics of the universe down before moving on to the actual story. This is also my first uhh multi-chapter fic so I just kinda want to take it slow and try not to burn myself out. Follow me on tumblr at PresidentDragon and PresidenDragon-art, or on twitter @prezDragon!


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